In the Eye of Love
by Anthropologicality
Summary: A story of six friends, three relationships, and a plethora of problems that can make or break them. Contains Bade, Tandre, and Cabbie. Collab with ladypooh.
1. P:if you asked me if i loved him i'd lie

**I'm baack! And this time it's a collab with ladypooh (this can also be found on her page). Here's a little prologue (in this, mostly I wrote the italics and she wrote the rest):**

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><p><em>Three very different girls.<br>__Three different guys they like.  
><em>_And the inevitable problems that arise._

_Tell. Tell Him. Just tell him now._ It repeated in my head over and over again. Once I almost did, but as he told me he'd fallen for the new girl I knew I could never tell him how I honestly felt. So I must stay quiet because if I don't I'll get nothing in the end—love _or_ our friendship.

We were over. It was clear, crystal clear yet my vision seemed a fog. We were too perfect to be over, but over we were. So as I cried I told myself I'd get him back; one day at a time. So I must choose which one I will do; get it in my head he's gone or get him back. I choose getting him back—whether he likes it or not.

I lie. I pretend. Tall tales, stories. All of the above. But what do you expect me to do? Sure, he's cute; and yeah he might be my type. But this outgoing girl is scared. So I must lie and tell tall tales or stories.

_Come, join us  
><em>_As we tell the tale  
><em>_Of Tori Vega, Jade West and Cat Valentine—  
><em>_a tale that we invite you to hear  
><em>_if you only want to listen._


	2. like wishing for rain in the desert

**Chapter One! The first and last few paragraphs were ladypooh's, the middle is mine.**

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><p>=[TORI]=<br>**it's like wishing for rain as i stand in the desert **

I tend to be a cheerful person. Always. There's hardly ever a time when I'ms glum and I never rue a day. But I would be lying if I said my mood didn't brighten even further when André walks through the doors of the school. It hits me a bit that he looks just as exultant as I, but I don't pay much attention to the thought.

He walks towards us, backpack hanging off one shoulder, phone in hand. Which reminds me that he hadn't called this morning as he usually does. I'd been ten minutes late today because I had been waiting for my phone to play "Song 2 U," André's special ringtone. I'd been worried sick thinking something had happened to him, but in the end I had to go to school anyway.

I expect him to walk right past us, all gathered around my locker like usual; his eyes are positively glued to the tiny lit-up screen. I'm proved wrong a moment later when he says hello to us and starts to talk. Then there's a squeal from behind me; I turn to see a tall, beautiful girl with chestnut hair, blonde-and-red highlights, and olive skin standing by the doors. She is picturesque and stunning—and waving to André.

I'm completely shocked. While I stand there, mouth gaping open like a fish, she runs over and practically tackles André. "Hey baby," she coos, giving him a peck on the lips.

Jade raises one pierced eyebrow. "Care to explain?" she says monotonously.

"André's got a girlfriend!" Cat cries happily, and I blink in surprise. It was completely obvious, so I don't know why.

"Y'all listen to the zany little redhead," André says, rubbing Cat's head like he's praising a puppy. Cat grins and giggles. "This here's Meena," he adds.

I catch Robbie giving me a funny look, and I realize my mouth's still open. I quickly shut it. "Hey Meena!" I greet cheerily, trying to pretend nothing was wrong. Nothing _was_ wrong. So what was bothering me?

"Okay, let me guess," Meena's saying, bringing me back to the real world. _Focus, Tori, focus. _"Tori, Cat, Jade, Robbie." She points to each of us in turn. "André's told me _all_ about you guys. What about Beck?"

"Oh, who cares what Beck's doing!" Jade snapps, and walks off in a huff.

Meena whistles. "Wow. What's _her_ deal?"

"They just broke up," André informs her awkwardly, and Meena's mouth forms an O.

Meena happens to be very sweet. And I hate myself for liking her. Then I hate myself for hating that I liked her. She seems perfect for André, but a bit too giddy for my liking. Not even a good kind of giddy, like Cat. She sticks to André like glue and I feel a pang in my heart, though I have no idea why, it wasn't like I _liked_ André, I just want to spend time with him.

As they hug and talk I figure I might as well see where Jade had stormed off to. Ever since our "date" we seemed to have grown closer. Since we were both having guy troubles (what? I was _not_ having guy troubles. I did not like André) talking to her might make us both feel a bit better. But when I see her working on destroying her thirty-seventh cereal box with scissors in the closet I know we'd both just be even more upset. I quietly steal away, pretending I hadn't seen her on the verge of tears.

When even someone like Jade can break down so easily, we're all in trouble.

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><p><strong>So, each chapter will be focusing on one person. Next up: Jade.<strong>

**Reviews are love. And you will get a virtual cookie! **


	3. don't tear me down, for all i need

=[JADE]=  
><strong>don't tear me down, for all i need<strong>

André's girlfriend, Minho or whatever her name was, blabbers on and I'm really listening; instead my eyes wander around the room as I think about scissors and death. And death by scissor. That would be truly amazing.

Then Beck comes down the steps and, seeing me, stops short.

There he stood. I can tell from his stiffness and the fact that he's not his regular calm self that he's trying to act like I'm not here. I feel a part of my tough exterior crack, but I quickly patch myself together again and keep my composure.

In trying to avoid looking at Be—no, I won't even think his name—I can't help but follow Vega's eyes as she stares wistfully at André (wait, what?); she's paying no attention to Rex's comments about how he should get with her. I am glad that for a moment she's giddy, it keeps my mind off of the striking boy with the long brown hair. That I'm thankful for. Vega had done something right.

Beck is still standing there, staring at me. It made me extremely uncomfortable. He's not allowed to look at me like that anymore. _He_ had broken up with _me_, not the other way around. It had been _his_ decision not to open the freaking door!

Suddenly I realize Cat's saying my name. "What are you looking at?" she asks when I respond. My eyes flick back to the bottom of the stairs; Beck is gone.

"Nothing."

"What about Beck?" wonders the way-to-perky Lena innocently, and something snaps inside me.

"Oh, who cares what Beck's doing!" I yell at her and stomp away to the stage, slamming the door behind me even though nobody is around to hear it. I don't care.

I grab a cereal box from my secret stash and my scissors start cutting viciously. Each snip, tear and cut is to Beck. _Stupid Beck. Stupid Nina. Stupid love._

A tear tries to escape my eye and I angrily wipe away. The others that follow meet the same fate.

After a few minutes I hear someone come in. I glance up and see Vega; I look away so she won't notice. She stands in the doorway a moment, then silently leaves. I let the tears free.

XXX

Two cereal boxes later, I splash water on my face, sling my bag over my shoulder, and go to class. Sikowitz—oh, joy. The man's a complete nutcase, even if he is my favorite teacher. When I get there I pointedly ignore Beck and sit next to Cat, who's staring at Robbie. Seriously, what's with everyone today?

"Hi Jade!" she cries happily. "You came! I was worried about you." I see her arms begin to raise, just a twitch, as if she were going to hug me. But she knows better.

"Why?" I ask, trying to play it off like it's no big deal.

"Because you were all upset," she tells me like it's obvious. Her brown eyes are big and I realize that she really _was_ worried. For me. I give her a smile.

"I'm okay," I let her know and she knows that from me, that's affection.

Sikowitz waltzes in and screams at us that we're all velociraptors whose eggs have been stolen. We instantly jump up and walk around kind of like chickens.

I get so into it I don't even realize where I'm going, and I end up bumping into someone. "Watch it!" I snap, and then look up to see who it was.

Beck's standing in front. He gives a slight little half-nod as his eyelids drop. "Sorry."

I can't believe it. Why is he being so nice?

"Okay," comes out of my mouth, and then I drop back into the velociraptor position and we go our separate ways.

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><p><strong>Next: Cat.<strong>

**Review for ladypooh's birthday today!**

**And if you're wondering about the velociraptor, go on Youtube and look up "Jenna Marbles how to avoid talking to people you don't want to talk to." Then, the sequel, "When the Face doesn't work," which is the one with the velociraptor.**


	4. guess i'm wishing my life away

**So, sorry this one took so long but Cat's really haaard. LadyPooh actually wrote quite a bit of this one, since I apparently have so much trouble with Cat. Hopefully the next won't take so long. The guys, methinks. :)**

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><p>=[CAT]=<br>**guess I'm wishing my life away**

I get a salad from Festus and look around, looking for Robbie.

He's sitting alone. It doesn't surprise me. The puppet sits in his hand and I smile awkwardly. They must be having a pretty intense conversation. I fight the urge not to disturb them and sit beside Robbie. My heart gives a flutter; I ignore it.

He's talking but I'm paying no attention. While he's speaking my eyes bore into his. They're a deep, rich chocolate brown. I could stare into his eyes _allll_ day…

Then Tori sits next to me and I try to pretend I'm not disappointed. "Hi Tori!" I cry happily. She grins back.

"You're lookin' fine today," Rex says to her boldly, and Tori rolls her eyes. I hate that puppet. Ooh, hate is a really strong word, Cat! I _strongly dislike_ that puppet!

There. That's better. I giggle to myself while braiding a small section of my hair.

We're joined now by Beck and André, and André's girlfriend. "Hii!" I yell, waving. They say hi back.

I take a sip of my milk and then stare at it, wondering. "Have there ever been any cows on the moon?" I ask, and everyone stops and stares at me. "What?" I ask.

"Don't think so, Cat," says Beck, and Tori and André both shake their heads no. My shoulders slump.

"That's too bad," I comment.

The lettuce in my salad begins to taste bland, my mind starts to drift away. I thought I'd think of unicorns or princesses but instead I think of the boy sitting beside me. He argues with Rex who continues to pass snide remarks to Tori, who pays no attention and throws glares in Meena's direction. Jade plays with her salad, sitting alone at another table, and Beck turns every second or so to look at her. And though I care for my friends I focus my eyes on Robbie. To keep from looking questionable I play with my hair and giggle for no reason at all. He smiles at me and I feel warmth creep into my cheeks. There are so many things I wish he knew, starting on how much I love him, but secrets are meant to be kept. I'm quiet and silence has never been so loud so I giggle again and this time Robbie laughs along with me.

My milk is gone, I take this as an opportunity to exit the table and invite him to tag along. Tag along, that's funny, no one's really playing tag! Hehe. He comes.

"Do you want another milk?" he asks, and I tilt my head in confusion. "Milk?" he prompts. "Isn't that why you got up?"

"Oh yeah!" I exclaim, suddenly remembering.

"You're messed up in the head, girl," says Rex.

"Robbie, Rex is making fun of me," I complain.

He sighs. "Rex, stop making fun of Cat!"

"You can't tell me what to do," retorts Rex. I get a strawberry milk—it's like a lighter version of my hair! I love strawberries!

"Hey, by the way?" Robbie says on our way back to the table, and I stop and look at him. "I think cows on the moon would be pretty cool."

I smile for the rest of the day.

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><p><strong>Oh, by the way, we've changed it so that now, all the chapters are named after song titles. Feel free to guess at them if you like ;)<strong>


	5. had it figured out, now room is spinning

=[ANDRÉ]=  
><strong>i had it figured out, now my room is spinning round<strong>

"Open up," Meena instructs me, holding a blueberry delicately between her fingers. I do as she asks and she gently tosses the dark purple fruit towards my mouth. I catch it and she laughs, clapping once.

Dang, this girl is beautiful. What did I ever do to deserve someone like her? Maybe it's the universe paying me back from "dating" Hope.

I take a grape from her plate. "My turn," I say, and either I'm a bad aim or she has terrible mouth-eye coordination. This makes her laugh again, and I laugh with her.

"André!" I hear behind me, and I turn. Tori is bounding towards us, making her dreamcatcher earrings swing from side to side. She sees Meena and stops short, but then continues onward.

"Hi Tori!" Meena says brightly, and Tori quickly returns the greeting. She turns to me.

"Are you coming over tonight to work on the song?"

"Song?" I ask, racking my brain.

Her face falls. "The one for Musical Performances? Remember?"

"Oh yeah, that song." The song we had been partnered up for. I'd forgotten all about it. Why? I was never forgetful, especially when it came to Tori. "Five good?"

"Five's good," she says, and with another glance at Meena, she strides away.

XXX

At five sharp, I walk into Tori's house. I never knock here, partly because she's my best friend and partly because I don't want her freak of a sister to rush down and answer the door and then proceed to try and flirt with me.

"Hey, _chica_," I greet, and she looks up.

"Hey." She holds up the sheet of paper. "Um, I started, but…" I take it from her. "It's not very good," she says quickly.

I wave it off. "Everybody says that." I read the words she's written. "This is amazing," I tell her.

She relaxes a little. "Really?"

"Yeah! I wouldn't lie to you, girl!" A smile teases at the corners of her mouth but doesn't fully materialize. "Alright. What's up?"

She scrunches her face in confusion—the inside of her eyes crinkle cutely. _What? _"What do you mean?" she says, her voice getting an octave higher. She's obviously avoiding the subject.

"You've been acting funny ever since…ever since you met Meena," I realize. Was Tori _jealous_ of me and Meena? No way. We'd always been friends, best friends, and so I just _know_ she can't be!

"I don't know what you mean," she says evenly, brushing it off.

Tori's distance disturbs me in ways I don't even understand. I mean, it's not like I like her or anything, I'm with Meena! Meena only, I'm not a bad person, I'm committed to that girl! So why am I thinking of my best friend as more than a best friend?

I'm not. That's the answer. There's no way. I mean, it's not like she isn't attractive. It's not like she doesn't deserve someone. The question really is if they deserve her. Tori's love life is none of my concern, of course, but I often find myself wondering why she always falls for jerks when she knows awesome guys. Not that I'm referring to myself or anything!

Suddenly I realize she's trying to get my attention. "Ahn-drayy…" she sing-songs, waving her hand in front of my face. I blink.

"What're we talking about?"

She looks up at me, beautiful brown eyes full of sadness for reasons I don't know, and I'm not sure if I want to find out.  
>"Never mind."<p>

We spend the next few hours perfecting our song. Our song; in a way it sounds romantic, not that I was trying to that, make it romantic. I knew the girl had talent, boatloads of talent, I'd told her that the first day she came to Hollywood Arts, but as she sings and we (mostly I) write I look at her more closely. Though the song has a romantic touch many parts are dry and sad. And as she sings I feel the hurt in her voice, the raw emotion she's putting into this song. And at that moment, the moment when she turns to me singing a soft melody, I know I have to kiss her.

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><p><strong>Dun-dun-<em>dun<em>. What happens next? I don't even know! Maybe Lady does...I'll have to ask her.**

**And also, LadyPooh is an amazing songwriter and her song will show up at some point in this story. XD**


	6. i have myself to blame

**This may be my favorite chapter so far. :) Hope you guys like it!**

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><p>=[BECK]=<br>**I have myself to blame, for the state I'm in today**

I watch her, sitting with Cat. Today, she's wearing a knee-length lacy black dress and lace-up black heeled boots that go over her ankle. With a necklace and a multitude of bracelets on each wrist. She looks gorgeous.

What makes me sad is how well I know Jade. She always tends to wear dresses if she's feeling down. It took a lot of coaxing and kisses, but finally she reluctantly admitted to me that it makes her feel better, and she can pretend she's a gothic princess (occasionally one who's been imprisoned by witches or something; there's the writer in her). It had made me smile, and she'd thought I was laughing at her. I had never forgotten that moment—it was a rare one from Jade. Jade, my beautiful gothic princess.

I need to stop thinking of her as mine.

It's hard, though. We've—we _had_ been together for two years, almost three. Old habits die hard. Some just keep on fighting and won't give up even if you stab them multiple times.

It's my own fault. I didn't go out the door. I need to remember that.

She fiddles with the bottom corner of her dress. Listening to Sikowitz as he talks and Cat as she does the same. She watches as Tori and André walk on the stage and flinches. We'd done that same thing, walk on the stage with smiles on our faces, just days before that brutal breakup two months ago.

I laugh when Tori kisses André on the cheek, and he clutches his chest and stumbles backwards, hitting the bucket Sikowitz had placed behind him not long ago. Their improv is a success, which isn't all that surprising. They had really found a way to look like they loved each other. I miss when Jade looked at me like that.

I'm grateful when the bell rang, signaling the start of lunch. For thirty minutes that dress will be out of my sight. I'm the one who made it appear; everyone else thinks she just looks pretty. To me? She looks broken-hearted.

At lunch Tori, André, Meena, and Robbie join me at the table all at the same time. _"__¡__Hola, chicos!_" Robbie says brightly, and Rex tells him that he sounds stupid or something.

"Hey," I reply. I'm not really paying attention. "What's up?"

"What do you mean?" Tori yelps nervously. "Nothing's up!"

"Yeah, what'cha raggin' on me for?" André cries, gulping down his water. "Nothing happened, I tell ya!"

I give them a strange look. "What are you _talking _about?"

"Nothing, apparently," says Meena, looking annoyed but giving an exaggeratedly fake smile. I choose to let it go.

_Stop. Thinking. About. Jade._ I look around for something totally un-Jade-like so I won't. Unfortunately, the first thing I see is Festus's car, which makes me think of the time Tori and Jade accidentally smashed it.

Dammit. Everything in the schoolyard makes me think of Jade.

Tori, who still seems overly jumpy, grabs her things and walks over to Jade's table. She sits, whispers something into Jade's ear and walks away. The pale girl with the raven hair then smirks and it's all I can do to keep my composure. The only thing I want to do, but the last thing I should be doing, is grab her forcefully and kiss her like there's no tomorrow. She grabs Cat, who stumbles off the bench. Out of the corner of my eye I see a curly-haired puppeteer flinch.

She's changed, I can tell, for the better. She's more appealing than ever and I feel the same way I did two, almost three years ago. It's because she's single, because she's got that edge that's stronger than before, because she's Jade West. The Jade West that didn't follow me around like a lost puppy and the owner at the very same time.

And because I feel so compressed in this large space I leave the table, throw some lame excuse my friends' way and exit the café. I hear her voice, it's a soft mumble so I know she's near but wants no one to make out what she's saying. Tori's voice is stressed and tired, but Cat's is like always, upbeat and peppy, and I'm glad that at least one person has yet to change.

Knowing she's near, and knowing that I just can't take it anymore, I take a piece of paper from my bag. I silently rip half off, not caring at all about the jagged lines now that the paper is not long and write all that I feel.

_We weren't supposed to be there in the first place. At her house, I mean. The fight, about the fights, was so ignorant and stupid and if I could take it back I would. All the way back, to the ice cream stand where you stood with your brothers telling them to hurry because you had better places where you could waste your time. I would talk to you then instead of at school in that crowded classroom in ninth grade, where you ignored me and went back to talking to Cat. I would have found time alone with you sooner; when I saw you sitting there that day, skipping class, I knew I had to go to you. If I could go back, all the way back, I wouldn't wait so long to tell you I love you either. And if I couldn't go back that far, if I could only go back to that one specific day, I would have gone out the door. To you. I love you. You might not still feel the same way, but I do._

I wrote at the bottom to give it to Jade just in case she wasn't the one to pick it up, and set it on the ground. But when I heard the sound of her heavy boots making her way to the slip of paper I knew she'd received the note. I then made my way to the doors, opened the left and walked out. I'd face her in the morning.


	7. but i miss screaming and fighting

**Okay. Hi. So, I know Robbie's was supposed to be chapter 6, but I wrote this a while ago at school, and then accidentally referenced it in Robbie's (you'll see). So Robbie is next. But to consulate, this is a double upload! Yay! Be happy!**

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><p>=[JADE]=<br>**but I miss screaming and fighting and kissing in the rain**

I hate being alone.

Well, I love being alone. But…I hate being alone.

Let me clarify this: I like solitude, whenI want it(especially from my mother). But I hate knowing there's no one I can go to when I don't want to be alone. Knowing that I can't run to _him._

I miss him, a lot. More than I'd ever care to admit. I suppose I could go hang out with Cat, or Vega, but it wouldn't be the same. No one would ever measure up to the only person I've ever loved in my entire life.

The day I met him, I never would have thought so. I hated him, thought he was just a pain in my ass and would go away if I shot him down enough times. Oh, how wrong I'd been about him.

I had been thirteen. My parents were going through a divorce, and that was my major rebel phase. One day I had been cutting class, hiding and immersed in the play I was writing, when the new Canadian boy came up to me. I'd seen him around, and he'd been lurking nearby the ice cream stand when I'd been forced to take my younger brothers, Josh and Jared, out because my parents were fighting too much. Thank God baby Jenna was sleeping or I would've had to take her too.

"What'cha doing?" he asked.

"Go away," I snapped without looking up. Instead, he sat down next to me and I skirted away.

"I'm Beck," he continued. "And you're Jade, right?"

I wrote a few more words.

"Is that a play?" he asked, and my nerves snapped. I whipped my head around.

"Look, I don't know what your problem is, but I don't want to talk to you and I _really_ wish you'd get outta my face before I beat you into a pulp!" I was just bluffing, of course; I didn't like to beat people up. But he didn't have to know that.

I have to say, he stood his ground. He did get up, but he walked around and didn't leave. Eventually he sat back down next to me. I sighed. "What do you _want_?"

"I want to get to know you," he said. That one threw me for a loop. No one had ever said something like that to me before, the only person who would talk to me was Cat.

I almost laughed from the shock. "Why?"

"You seem interesting," was his reply. In a first-ever moment of trust, I let him read my play. He loved it.

Six months later, on my fourteenth birthday, we started dating.

How could he just throw all of that away? All the memories, the quiet nights together in his RV, the secrets no one else knew?

And in that moment, I knew. I had to get him back, some way, somehow.

XXX

Vega has never really mattered to me much. Before today I guess. She'd whispered in my ear, "I saw you crying that today," and simply walked away. I was flustered and I felt conflicted. Vega had seen me in a state where my walls were broken down and my mascara was under my eyes _and_ on my cheeks. If she said anything I'd no longer be the Jade West everyone was afraid of. Worse though, Beck would know I missed him.

So I grab Cat by the wrist and tell her she's coming with me. "Okay!" she chirps, and I make my way to the doors where we enter the elite Hollywood Arts High School. Vega's standing there, looking stressed, but manages.

"Follow me."

We enter a vacant classroom and she explains her situation. She kissed the dreadlocked boy when rehearsing—or, he kissed her, rather—and she doesn't know what to do. I fight several smirks as she tells her story because even though I can't stand her and hate her…well, sometimes, I know that André's perfect for her. I also happen to know that he loves her. He mentioned it to Beck while they were eating tacos and alright, maybe I _might_ have been sort of eavesdropping.

Cat giggles and claps her hands and I swear I hear footsteps approaching us, but I stay quiet. Then I notice a slip of paper. It was ugly and imperfect. But across the front, in Beck's handwriting, my name was scrawled. I pick it up and my eyes fly over the words. The perfect letters start to become a blur as a single tear falls onto the paper.

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><p><strong>Everything before the XXX is what I had written before, under them is Lady's. Robbie next!<strong>

**Oh, Jade's family is named for a reason. If you noticed, their names all start with J; this is the case of my best friend's family too. Josh, Jared, and Jenna, and she was supposed to be Jade, but she's Hannah. So yeah.**

**And now for some shameless self-promotion: I have a new iCarly story up, it's called Gotta Make It Work (it needs a new title). Go check it out! :D**


	8. you light up my world like nobody else

=[ROBBIE]=  
><strong>baby you light up my world like nobody else<strong>

"See you later, I gotta go…charge my phone," Beck says, finishing lamely, and it's so obvious it's just an excuse to get away. He abruptly gets up and swiftly leaves the café. Why he stands in the middle of the courtyard and writes on a piece of paper, I'll never know.

Cat downs the rest of her strawberry milk like she's doing a shot. Then she glances at the glittery pink watch on her wrist. "Oh, I have to go too, I promised Sikowitz I'd show him how to do a dance!" This earns her a strange stare from Meena, but André and I don't even blink. We're used to both Cat's and Sikowitz's unique oddnesses. She races away, and as she does, some robotics student's tiny machine gets out of control and goes right under her feet.

My heart stops. All the air finds its way to my lungs and the only thing I see is her stumble. I hope she won't lose her footing any more than she already has. When her Converse plant firmly on the cement I decide I'll breathe again. Tori's gone and Beck already left, leaving me alone with the couple. André keeps his eyes on his half-eaten slice of pizza and I feel the awkward tension. I keep quiet, leaving Meena to be the one to question his sudden silence. It was clear they'd kissed; it had only been a matter of time.

I wish Cat would come back outside, alone. I want to see her fiery red hair blowing in the wind and I want to feel the butterflies in my stomach as she bites her bottom lip and giggles. I want to talk about cows on the moon, or listen to her ask if someone could really turn into a blueberry like the girl in _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory._ I want to buy her a cookie and see her flash that gorgeous smile, but she'd left for the time being. Time has never moved so slow before now.

As I walk back into Sikowitz's class after lunch, I see Cat laughing giddily, spinning in circles, and Sikowitz giving her a look like she's crazy but yet still trying to imitate her movements and failing. All of us stop and simply stare at them.

"Oh! Class is starting!" Cat exclaims, and rushes to sit down. She then stares attentively at Sikowitz, as if she were the perfect model student.

"Yes, you're all…back," Sikowitz says. "Joy." He takes a sip from his coconut. "Where were we?"

"You were having us act like platypuses," André volunteers.

"Oh! Right. Yes." Sip. "Now, as I was saying…"

XXX

"Robbie!" I hear Jade yell from behind me. I whip around. Hey, I can't help it, okay? Jade is _scary_.

"H-hey Jade," I greet her nervously.

"What do you want?" I say brashly through Rex. That's what I like about talking through Rex—I can pretend he's a real person and blame it on him.

Jade only rolls her eyes. "Look, I saw the way you were looking at Cat."

_Ohmygod._ "I—I don't know what you're talking about," I reply with false bravado. Or I tried, anyway. I don't think it worked very well in my favor.

She doesn't buy it. "Yeah you do. She likes you too, and—"

"She does?" I cut her off. This is ignored, naturally.

"Anyway, I'm willing to help you get her," Jade says.

My face breaks into a grin. "Really? That's so nice of you!" _Uncharacteristically_ nice. I'm a little suspicious, actually…

"_If_," she continues, "you help me get back Beck."

"Deal."

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><p><strong>See what I mean? You wouldn't have understood Jade's side if hers wasn't posted first.<strong>


	9. some were born to sing the blues

***drumroll* And now...the chapter you've all been waiting for! Tori and André are singing!**

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><p>=[TORI]=<br>**some will win, some will lose, some were born to sing the blues**

_Today's the day_, I think, not sure if I'm excited or dreading it. Both. It had been hard enough working with André the rest of the time to finish the song, and even harder to be around him and Meena. I feel so bad for her, knowing what André and I had done, but she stays blissfully unaware and happy in love with André. Like I am, too, I know that now.

Now Jade and Cat both know my problem, my dilemma, and yet I'm still not any closer to figuring this all out.

I make sure to put on a cute outfit for today, after all, we'll be performing. On second thought, I decide to bring a dress for the performance. I find a pretty mauve one-shoulder sheer dress I didn't even know I owned. I pair it with strappy white high-heeled sandals and dangly silver chandelier earrings.

Carefully setting the items in an Aéropostale bag, I sling my backpack over my shoulder and climb into Trina's car.

School.

As soon as I arrive, Cat comes running up to me. "Toritoritoritoritori!" she cries, all in one breath, like it's one word.

"What?"

"Miss Greyjoy broke her leg and they can't find a substitute in time for Musical Performances!"

"But André and I are supposed to present our song today," I state the obvious, dread growing in the pit of my stomach. I just want to get this over with so I can avoid André as much as possible. If the boy supposedly likes _me_, why can't he just dump Meena? Guys are idiots. I'm reminded of that line from _Jerry Maguire:_ "Men are the enemy…but I still love the enemy."

"I know," Cat says. "Oh, but guess what!" I eye her, and she continues, "Sikowitz says we can perform in his class instead!"

"Okay," I agree. _Thank God._

Since Sikowitz doesn't have any classes first period, he has everyone in MP pour into his class. He's grading, too.

"But you're an acting teacher," Jade points out. "What do you know about singing?"

"Oh, you Aries," Sikowitz laughs.

"Okay, A, how does that make me an Aries, and B, how did you know I'm an Aries?"

"I'm an Aquarius!" Cat yells, stroking a stuffed Webkinz owl.

"See, Cat's an Aquarius," Sikowitz repeats, ignoring Jade's question. He glances at a sheet of paper. "So, looks like the first victims are Tori and André!"

We both get up and go to the stage. "Robbie, the lights?" André says, and Robbie jumps up too and quickly sets up his laptop. Robbie isn't actually in this class, but he got special permission from his teacher to come in and do our lighting for us.

"I had to adjust it a bit to make it work for this room," he informs us, as if we care all that much. We're too busy doing a quick test of the microphones. Robbie gives us a thumbs-up and the music André pre-recorded starts playing. I take a deep breath and start to sing.*

"You got a girl  
>It wasn't a surprise<br>You picked the beautiful one with the electric eyes  
>Is she sweet, caring, all of the above?<br>Doesn't really matter if she's got your love

_I see you sad  
><em>_I see you mad  
><em>_And I feel like it's my fault  
><em>_I want you here  
><em>_Don't want to see your tears  
><em>_But what am I to say when I'm in love and don't wanna walk away_

I'll never tell you how I feel  
><em>Never be real<br>_Always holding back  
><em>If I love you there'll be a heart attack<em>

**You love me  
><strong>**And I need you****, i****t's crazy  
><strong>**Got me feeling blue  
><strong>'**Cause I never wanted you alone  
><strong>**When I called, needed you to pick up the phone  
><strong>**Baby do you feel my pain?  
><strong>**Do you like crying in the rain?  
><strong>**But you****'re**** so gone** _(Long gone)  
><em>**Far away, so gone  
><strong>(Long gone)

**Needed you today  
><strong>Kiss me  
><em>Want to but the guilt will make me flee<br>_Take a risk  
><em>Fear doesn't like bliss<br>_I love you  
><em>Happy endings aren't a rule<em>

**I want to run off to the sunset  
><strong>**And I want to run with you  
><strong>**But the more I think about it  
><strong>**Happy endings aren't a rule**

_I'll fly away  
><em>I'll follow you

**And we'll be happy us two  
><strong>**B****ut  
><strong>_I can't fly away  
><em>**But  
><strong>I need you more  
><strong>But<br>**_Our love is true  
><em>**But  
><strong>It can't be if  
><strong>Happy endings aren't a rule<strong>

_Happy endings aren't _a rule"

We finish singing and stand face-to-face, close, gazing into each other's eyes. My breath catches, and we both are breathing heavily, and he leans closer and closer till before I know it, he's kissing me again and I don't stop it like I thought I would.

I forget everyone else is there until they start clapping. We break apart and I stare out into the crowd, scanning everyone's faces. Most of them are shocked, but Jade, curiously, is sitting there, smiling smugly. Weird.

But what shocks me is the person standing in the doorway.

"I came here to tell you I enrolled in Hollywood Arts, and I see you kissing _her_!" Meena fumes, turning on her heel and stomping out the door.

"Baby, wait—" André cries, chasing after her. "Um—it's not what it looks like!"

No, André. No, it is not.

* * *

><p>KEY:<br>Tori  
><em>André<br>_**Both**

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><p><strong>Alright, now I need you guys' help. (That was an awkward sentence.) I was trying to think, what would all the Victorious characters' star signs be? I have-<strong>

**Cat: Aquarius  
>Jade: Aries<br>Beck: Leo  
>Tori: Pisces (maybe)<strong>

**And in the book Love Signs, the Aries-Leo section is practically WRITTEN about Jade and Beck.**


	10. holes in my apologies

**Heyy. So, 9/10 of this was written by Lady, isn't it great? I wrote a bit at the end and I don't really like it.**

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><p>=[ANDRÉ]=<br>**holes in my apologies**

She's running now. I guess there are probably tears streaming down her face, tears she doesn't want me see. My breath is heavy—I know I have to reach her, to explain myself, and I know it's going to be hard. How am I going to tell this beautiful, amazing girl why she'd seen me kissing another? How am I going to tell her the kiss meant nothing and look sincere saying it?

After a while, she slows down. Meena turns around and looks at me. The hurt is visible in her eyes. She turns back around, now staring at a blank locker, most likely hers. She fumbles with the lock, but gets it open. I watch as she reaches for her purse, and it reminds me all too much of the day Tori was being forced to leave. I run toward her, stepping in front of the locker.

"Don't leave okay? That kiss was all a part of the act." My heart's pumping as I speak. It was the first thing that popped into my head.

"You're not that good of an actor 'Dré, no one can fake a kiss like that," she replies, not interested. She's not hearing me out. She can't leave me, not now.

We'd met at the mall. It wasn't the most romantic place in the world to meet a girl, but I wasn't searching the mall for a potential date. My grandmother was convinced no regular pharmacy carried her "special brand" of medicine, that only the big place with tons of miniature stores would have it. So, she sent me to the mall. I planned on buying things for myself; I'd just buy her medicine at CVS later and peel off the label.

I'd already bought some jeans, cologne and shirts. So, to complete my day at "the big place with miniature stores" I'd need some shoes. As I turned the corner to the shoe department I saw her. She was beautiful. She didn't go to Hollywood Arts and I could tell by the way she'd told the guy she was taken in such a classy way, she wasn't a North Ridge girl.

She'd introduced herself and and I'd said my name as well. We sat down in the food court with sodas from McDonald's and just…talked. After an hour or so I left with her number. That's all I'd gotten for myself—and I forgot Grandma's medicine.

After that, and everything we'd been through the last few weeks, I knew how special she was. I couldn't let her go.

"Sikowitz wanted us to kiss, he thought it'd make the show more believable," I tell her now.

"As much as I want to believe you," she says sadly, "I—I just _can't_, André."

"Well then, say you'll call me later and say you forgive me for kissing her, even though I did it because Sikowitz wanted me to, and say you'll stay at Hollywood Arts and tell me what you're in for?"

She closes her locker then. Gives me a peck on the cheek and promises she will. When I yell bye in her direction I finally feel like everything is okay.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I see Tori Vega exiting out the back door crying. "Tori!" I chase after her, but she only goes faster. It hurts even more to see her cry. In the few years I'd known her, she _never_ cried.

Could…is it possible that _I_ caused this?

Girls are so confusing. I'm confusing myself, actually. I mean, I like Meena a lot. Maybe I even love her. But then there's Tori…and every time I'm around her, I just can't contain myself. I keep kissing her. It's like some cosmic force just _pushes_ me to her, and brings me to kiss her, to forget about my girlfriend. Why?

My life is a mess.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh, and guess where I was last weekend? Connecticut at a concert! Nickelback, Seether, Bush, and My Darkest Days, and it was AMAAAZING.<strong>


	11. and everyone is so messed up

**Sorry, guys, for the delay; to make up for it, here's what I think is possibly the longest chapter. I could be wrong though.**

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><p>=[JADE]=<br>**everything's so blurry, and everyone's so fake; everybody's empty, and everything is so messed up**

_A few days ago_

Okay, so here's my plan. I'm gonna do _something_ to get André and Vega together, just 'cause I'm sick of Deena. She's too freaking happy all the time, and she makes André the same way, and Vega's constantly depressed. Add in Robbie and Cat, and me and Beck, and everyone's just a mess around here.

I looked into a few things before, and it turns out that when she was little, she was a cello _prodigy_. She got to play in Madison Square Garden, and was invited into the White House, for crying out loud! And for the cello! What a stupid instrument.

So, I show up at her house.

"Jade?" she says hesitantly, almost like a question. She's totally confused why I'm here. Good. "What are you doing here?" God, she's still talking so damn slowly. Talk faster, girly.

"Hey Gina," I say, breezing past her into the house.

"Sure, come in," she invites mockingly, finally talking at normal speed.

"Look, I'll tell you why I'm here," I stated.

"That'd be great."

"I know about you and the cello." Her eyes widen for a fraction of a second before she regains her composure, but I catch it. A slow, sly grin creeps over my face, just creepy enough to scare her. _Perfect._

"And I'm _suure _you can act, or sing, or _something,_" I stress.

"I can act," she admits. "Barely."

"Great!" It takes all my acting skills to look enthusiastic. "Why don't you…oh, I don't know…enroll in Hollywood Arts?" I make it sound like a casual suggestion, but she hears the underlying threat, I know she does. Tina's smart enough for that, at least. She just doesn't yet know what said threat is. Honestly, neither do I, but I'll get there.

"Maybe," she muses. "I mean, I could. I haven't played cello for years…but I could go back to it, sure." Casually, playing it cool, just like I was. We're dancing around each other. I'll give her credit for standing her ground; Martina's less of a doormat goody-two-shoes than I thought. It could work to her advantage, but I won't let it.

"I think you should."

We eye each other for a minute, each sizing the other up.

"Look, here's the deal," I say after I've clearly won. Now, our little dance is drawing to an end. Blunt, straightforward, no-nonsense; first to deal the final blow wins.

I slip a piece of paper her way. "On this date, Tori and André are performing a song. You know that, Xena. I'm willing to bet there may be something…slipped in. Enroll. Be there."

I abruptly get up and leave, letting myself out. But before I do I linger in the doorway just a second. I look back at her, meet her eyes for a fraction of an instant. Our little dance is over, and I have emerged victorious, leaving Rowena's bloody, lifeless body in my wake without looking back.

XXX

_Today_

My mind is reeling with what I'll say to Beck if he asks. Preferably, I'll just avoid him. I want him back more than anything, and I guess he feels the same way, but I don't want to make myself look weak or ridiculous…ugh! This is so frustrating!

First, though, I've got a mission to carry out. I get to school early and go straight to Miss Greyjoy's room. Poking my head around the corner of the door, I see her moving desks and things in preparation for today's presentations. "Need any help?" I ask, my voice sugary sweet. Gross.

She jumps at the sudden noise, then looks at me. Her eyes widen. "Jade?" she blurts, dumbfounded. "Are you feeling okay? Let me take your temperature, sweetheart." She advances towards me and when she gets too close I flinch back. She is _not_ touching me.

"I'm fine," I reply, clenching my teeth just a tiny bit. "Lane's making me be…_nicer_ to people." It's a lie, of course, what good writer and actress can't pull of a little lie? But she believes it.

She blinks at me. "Okay. Sure, honey." She moves aside and begins directing to me where she wants things. It's all I can do to comply; I don't take orders. From anyone. Ever.

She has me kneeling down on the floor now. My knees hurt and I swear I'll get her back in the worst way possible. I'm sorting grades in alphabetical order when I notice two things, one, Vega has an A in the class (I make a mental note to change that), and two, Miss Greyjoy has a scar on her leg. It's beautiful, gorgeous really, so I ask her about it.

"I got into an accident years ago; it left this scar." It upsets me that she won't say much more but she helped me realize what I have to do. I have to break her leg.

It won't be easy, but I always get what I want. A lightbulb goes off in my head I know my job's just getting easier and easier. I smirk.

"Do you have to take painkillers, you know, medication?"

She looked at me uneasily, no doubt wondering why in the hell I was so interested in a scar. "Jade, honey, aren't you supposed to be helping me, not asking a ton of questions?"

I put on another sugary-sweet smile. This whole good-girl act's harder than I expected, but I'm gonna pull through. "I just want to make sure I'm helping in the best way possible," I say 'earnestly,' my voice now sounding more and more like the 40s-film-star I use to mock Vega with.

She just smiled then, a simple smile that let me know: she _was_ on painkillers. Like old Mrs. Dubose, she was probably on morphine or something. I'd just have to find them.

(It was almost comically simple. Your _purse,_ Miss Greyjoy? Really?)

So after we're done moving boxes around, she invites me to have some lemonade she happened to find in the teacher's lounge fridge. I "happily" accept. When she gets up to get something, I discreetly slip a few of the tiny pills into her paper cup.

"I really appreciate you doing this, honey," she says as she comes back, and I quickly pull my hand away and look innocent. A flicker of suspicion crosses her face; it's so fast I almost don't see it, but it's there.

"No problem."

* * *

><p><strong>This...was so much fun to write. Have I mentioned how much I love writing for Jade?<strong>


	12. no, it's not too late you know

_Hey! It's been waaaay too long since we last saw you guys...which, admittedly, is entirely our fault. Here, have some Cat for your troubles._

* * *

><p>=[CAT]=<br>** no, it's not too late you know**

"Roooooobbbiiiieeee!" I yell his name down the long hall. He turns his head, smiles, but turns away again. This was the tenth time this week he had turned away from me. I figured the first time he really did just have something else to do, but now I'm starting to get worried. I have a desperate need for red velvet cupcakes, and what better way to make cupcakes than to bake them with Robbie?

"What's up Cat?" He asks this sweetly, but I notice his voice seems tense.

He's frantically looking around. For someone, probably. I don't know who, but I hope it's not a girl. Maybe it's Rex since he's not surgically attached to Robbie's arm like usual, but I don't think so, no matter how hard I desperately want it to be true.

"I was wondering if you wanted to come over and make red velvet cupcakes with me," I say innocently, trying to pretend I hadn't noticed a thing. He keeps moving his wrist back and forth or playing with his rubber bracelet, in a scared sort of way. He starts to open his mouth but I cut him off as something else pops into my head. "I was _also _wondering why you didn't come over Tuesday so we could take Mr. Longneck for a walk, or why you didn't come over Monday so I could make you look like Elmo." By this point a pang of hurt and sadness has entered my voice.

His face is sympathetic, and it makes me sad. And angry. But mostly sad. But also angry.

"I'm really sorry Cat, but I've got to find someone." Robbie shuts his locker then, gives me a quick hug, and shuffles down the hall. I don't have to be told; we're not making cupcakes tonight.

_Who is she?_ I wonder, but then I realize: "I don't want to know," I whisper to myself. And when I get home, I bury my sorrows with Mr. Longneck, the turtle Robbie and I share, and instead of red velvet cupcakes, a chocolate cake.

(Chocolate and red velvet are really the same thing, but red velvet has red dye in it! Shh, don't tell anyone!) But somehow, the cake doesn't hold the same appeal as it usually does; though still delicious, the chocolate is a poor substitute for my favorite coveted red velvet.

As I pick absentmindedly at my sweet dessert, my brother runs into the room screaming. He shoots me a few times with a toy gun and runs around, then smashes his face straight into my cake. "Came_ron_!" I cry, hitting him on the arm. He lets out a strange sound and runs away, his face still covered in my beautiful cake. I shove the plate away and head up to my room.

I stroke Mr. Longneck's shell with a finger. "He'll be here someday soon," I promise—an empty promise, one made up of wishes instead of facts, but it doesn't matter. Spotting something out of the corner of my eye, I grab it and present my turtle with his leash. "Come on, Mr. Longneck, let's go for a walk!" I grin, strapping the harness around the creature. I don't know why I bother putting a leash on him when I'll just be carrying him—he _is_ a turtle, after all—but it's more fun that way, don't you think?

Along my walk I run into André, literally. He's out jogging and I was running across the street, so we _actually_ ran into each other!

"'Sup, Li'l Red?" he greets me, pulling out his headphones. I hear the tones of that new Train song, _50 Ways to Say Goodbye_, coming out of the tiny speakers. I love the mariachi band in that song, it's so fun.

"I'm walking Mr. Longneck!" I inform him cheerily.

He peers curiously at my shoulder, where Mr. Longneck is perched. "The turtle?" I nod. "You're walking a turtle?" Another nod. "Sure."

"What's wrong with it?" I pout.

"Nothing, nothing," he says hastily. "I just never seen somebody do that, that's all."

"Now you have," I reply matter-of-factly, stroking Mr. Longneck's shell again.

"Right…" he says slowly. "Have…have you…seen Tori?" The look on his face tells me he's mad at himself for asking, but I pretend not to notice.

"Not since yesterday," I say innocently. "I don't think she wants to talk to you."

He sighed. "Yeah, didn't think so."

"Look at that cloud!" I exclaim suddenly, and not for a change of subject—I just really like that cloud! "Wow. It looks like an elephant!"

He squints and looks up at where I point. "An elephant swimming, see, there's its legs." I laugh like it's the funniest thing I've ever heard. "Well, see ya around, Cat," he says, a grin creeping across his face, and, popping the earbuds back in, he takes off but stops again.

He turns around and looks at me. "Hey, uh, Cat?"

"Yeah André?"

"If you see Tori, tell her I meant what I said at the bench."

He places his earbuds back into his ears and runs off.

I'd never seen André so sad before. I guess he'd joined the club; that is, the Sad Misfits Club.

XXX

Later that night brings a surprise: Robbie, clutching Rex as usual. "Look, I feel really bad about earlier, I didn't want it to seem as though I was brushing you off or ignoring you which is what you probably thought, didn't you? Anyway…I just…I just wanted to say I'm sorry, and to see if you're still up for those cupcakes and maybe walking Mr. Longneck?" He gives me a hopeful smile, but is clearly expecting me to get mad, or decline, or slam the door in his face.

But instead I do the opposite. I tackle him in a hug, then release him and step aside to let him in, a huge grin on my face. I just can't stop smiling. "Of course!" He looks immensely relieved, and sits Rex down in a chair and tells him to stay right there. I'm already getting out the cake mix. Who cares if I already had some today? It wasn't the same and besides, Cameron ruined it.

Robbie heads towards the fridge to get the eggs and milk like he always does, but then I exclaim, "Oh! No, wait, turn on the oven first." He doesn't have to ask the temperature, he's done that enough times. Then he brings me everything and when I'm not looking, flicks flour at me.

"Robbie!" I cry, gaping and laughing. I throw a handful in his face—I don't know why he got the flour out anyway, it's not like we'll need it. He throws some back and before I know it, we're both covered in the powdery white stuff. I pretend to screech and try to run away, but he follows me; just as I turn around, he slips and falls and I trip on him and land right on top of him.

In a bold move, I kiss him before I lose my nerve. Just a small peck, nothing major. He looks shell-shocked, the whites of his eyes practically entirely visible. Then my actions hit me and I quickly jump up and flee to my room. Moments after I get there he's knocking at the door. I don't respond but yelp slightly, startled by the noise, and fling my head to the side. He enters anyway and then suddenly his lips are on mine, marking the second time in less than three minutes that things have happened so fast I don't even know how they got to where they were.

So this time, it's my turn to be shocked. I pull back and stare at him. "Was that a bad decision?" he asks, obviously unsure of himself. It's cute, really. I shake my head no and hook my hand around his neck, closing the gap between us once again.

My head is spinning like what I've heard being high is like. "_You _like me," I tease, bopping him on the nose and giggling. Suddenly today's earlier events flash through my head like a playback of a bad movie, and the nice, spinney, floaty feeling is gone. "But you like someone else more." My shoulders fall.

His eyes widen and he gulps, then shakes his head vigorously. "No—no I don't!" he insists earnestly, his voice cracking just a little in a nerdy but kind of cute way. I'm really in deep, aren't I? "Cat, what would ever give you that idea?"

"Nothing," I lie quickly. "I just thought you did."

"Who did you think?" he asks gently.

I shrug. "I dunno." I kiss him again before he can ask any more questions and because I miss the feeling of the touch of our lips.

"We should probably go make that cake now," he gasps.

As we walk towards the kitchen I can't help but think _Cat two, club four._


	13. a lot of nice things turn bad out there

_Hi again! We're back. Sorry it took so long-that is probably largely my fault. Blame biology homework and the fact that I've spent the past week and a half sidetracked by watching Community. But mostly biology._

* * *

><p><strong>=[BECK]=<br>****but then a lot of nice things turn bad out there**

With all the drama between Tori and André and Jade and I, I know today won't be a day to stay after school like usual for my extra acting lessons. As I exited the school, I have the sudden craving for something sweet.

I haven't had ice cream since my last anniversary with Jade, over nine months ago—ice cream shops were kind of sacred to us—and I hope the creamy deliciousness will take my mind off everything for a little while. I get in my new Maserati and drive the few blocks down to the Milky Princess stand near Boulevard Park.

Only a small part of me notices the beauty of the clerk near the stand. The rest of me is focused entirely on how oddly familiar she looks. It's not surprising, of course, considering she _does _work right near Hollywood Arts, at a place I'd been to dozens of times before…but still, I can't shake the feeling she looks familiar for a _reason_. She has long, crimped blonde hair and glittery eyeshadow.

"Hey," she says lightly, flirtily, when I approach. "What can I get ya?"

I pretend to study the menu for another moment. "Uh, yeah, can I get a cake batter in a sugar cone with sprinkles and gummy bears?" I honestly don't know why gummy bears. I don't get them normally.

"Sure thing, sweetie pie," she says, winking, and I try to hide my complete and utter disgust, grateful not for the first time for all my acting classes. I hate it when girls call their boyfriends, friends, or especially complete strangers things like "sweetie pie." Seriously, if you're going to call someone "sweetie" or "honey," you better be someone's grandma. And even then, reserve it for your grandchild.

Her shirt's pulled as low as it physically can be, lower than her manager probably would like (I am looking at her nametag. Really. I like to know people's names. Hers is Alicyn, in case you were wondering), and her sluttiness is a huge turn-off for me. I don't go for "easy" girls. Easy's boring. And kind of disgusting.

She reappears at the window a moment later with my ice cream. "Here you go," she says, leaning forward and squeezing her boobs out with her arms. Jeez, pull your shirt up, it won't kill you. She turns the cone in such a way so that I can see she's written her phone number on the paper. I pay, turn, and purposely peel the paper off and throw it away first thing. If she saw me, great; if she didn't, I don't really care.

And suddenly, it struck me why Alicyn looked so familiar. A flood of memories came rushing back of a day Jade and I had come here—the last time we had come here, as a matter of fact. Jade was really starting to get to me. The whole purpose of leaving school early had been to get away from the drama with Jade, but as I got to thinking, I could've gone to a different ice cream place with a different blonde waitress—one who didn't look hauntingly familiar, one who wasn't the very girl Jade had once gotten mad at because she thought the girl had been flirting with me.

And just when I told myself I was officially done thinking about Jade, at least for now, there she was, storming away with tears in her eyes.

Just then I got a text from André.

_I'm screwed when it comes to Tori. I'm running and I can't find her._

Me and André, we're in the same boat.

I consider running after Jade, telling her that it was all a stupid misunderstanding, that I didn't like slutty Alicyn. Another part of me says that Jade and I aren't dating anymore, so it doesn't matter; I'm free to date whoever I want to date. I walk toward my car (and the general direction Jade went, hoping I might making up my mind by the time I got there), but when I do, she's gone.

I have a no-messy-foods-in-the-car policy, at least for now, since come on, it's new and it's a pretty damn good car. I don't mind something like a granola bar or a cup of coffee, but ice cream is a huge no-no, especially in this weather. So I just lean against the hood and observe the people walking by.

Another text from André arrives. _Where are you?_

I use my non-sticky hand to type out _At the Milky Princess _with one finger. A couple of minutes later he shows up.


End file.
